DECISION ON KUTLE'S EXPULSION FROM PARTY REACHED UNANIMOUSLY - HDZ

ZAGREB, June 12 (Hina) - The Main Secretariat of Croatia's ruling party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), on Saturday issued a public statement in the wake of various public interpretations of a HDZ National Council decision of June 9 on the expulsion of Miroslav Kutle from the HDZ. According to the HDZ Main Secretariat, today's statement was issued "to avoid making relative that decision of the HDZ National Council, as one of the party's central bodies. "The HDZ National Council, which comprises the HDZ Presidency and the councils of HDZ's Main and National Committees," reached several conclusions "in relation to the criminal charges HDZ member Miroslav Kutle has pressed against high ranking party and state officials, Premier Zlatko Matesa and Croatian National Bank governor Marko Skreb." The unanimously reached conclusions state that "Miroslav Kutle's act is a political attack on the HDZ, the highest ranking party and state officials, and the entire Croatian state leadership. "With his act, Miroslav Kutle has caused political damage to HDZ's and Croatia's reputation in the world, and its international position. Due to what has been stated above, the HDZ National Council has reached a decision to expel Kutle from the HDZ," the statement said. It adds, "the decision is not one on the initiation of disciplinary proceedings which should be tackled by the Court of Honour, but it is a decision on (Kutle's) expulsion." "The HDZ National Council, of which the HDZ Presidency is a constituent part, has estimated that the matter is a 'significant political issue', and in keeping with the HDZ Statute (Article 32) has reached the above mentioned decision. "Given that it has been reached unanimously, the various interpretations on divisions within the HDZ in relation to this decision we refute as unfounded and ill-intentioned," the statement of the party's Main Secretariat concluded. (hina) ha